THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The largest professional organization of scholars studying genocide said Monday that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. The determination by the International Association of Genocide Scholars — which has around 500 members worldwide, including a number of Holocaust experts — could serve to further isolate Israel in global public opinion and adds to a growing chorus of organizations that have used the term for Israel’s actions in Gaza. Israel has repeatedly rejected the accusation.
“Israel’s policies and actions in Gaza meet the legal definition of genocide,” as well as crimes against humanity and war crimes, according to the group’s resolution, which was supported by 86% of those who voted. The specifics of the voting were not released.
“People who are experts in the study of genocide can see this situation for what it is,” Melanie O’Brien, the organization’s president and a professor of international law at the University of Western Australia, told The Associated Press.
Genocide was codified in a 1948 convention drawn up after the horrors of the Holocaust that defines it as acts “committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group.” The United Nations and many Western countries have stated that only a court can rule on whether such a crime has occurred; a case against Israel is pending before the U.N.’s highest court.
Israel, founded as a refuge following the Holocaust, has vehemently denied it is committing genocide, calling the accusation an antisemitic “blood libel.” They argue that Hamas’s actions are genocidal, citing the deadly attack that began the ongoing conflict.
In the ensuing conflict, over 63,000 Palestinians have reportedly died, as per Gaza’s Health Ministry. Israel disputes these figures, maintaining that it strives to minimize civilian casualties, despite the contentious nature of their military operations in densely populated areas. The Palestinian casualty figures remain a subject of international scrutiny, with independent observers labeling the health ministry, found under Hamas control, as a key source.
The International Association of Genocide Scholars, founded in 1994, also previously asserted that China’s treatment of the Uighurs and the crisis faced by the Rohingya in Myanmar meet the threshold for genocide. Further accusations come from prominent Israeli rights groups calling for accountability regarding the situation in Gaza. As the conflict continues, and with global attention further sharpening on the humanitarian implications, Israel’s actions are likely to remain under intense scrutiny from the international community.
“Israel’s policies and actions in Gaza meet the legal definition of genocide,” as well as crimes against humanity and war crimes, according to the group’s resolution, which was supported by 86% of those who voted. The specifics of the voting were not released.
“People who are experts in the study of genocide can see this situation for what it is,” Melanie O’Brien, the organization’s president and a professor of international law at the University of Western Australia, told The Associated Press.
Genocide was codified in a 1948 convention drawn up after the horrors of the Holocaust that defines it as acts “committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group.” The United Nations and many Western countries have stated that only a court can rule on whether such a crime has occurred; a case against Israel is pending before the U.N.’s highest court.
Israel, founded as a refuge following the Holocaust, has vehemently denied it is committing genocide, calling the accusation an antisemitic “blood libel.” They argue that Hamas’s actions are genocidal, citing the deadly attack that began the ongoing conflict.
In the ensuing conflict, over 63,000 Palestinians have reportedly died, as per Gaza’s Health Ministry. Israel disputes these figures, maintaining that it strives to minimize civilian casualties, despite the contentious nature of their military operations in densely populated areas. The Palestinian casualty figures remain a subject of international scrutiny, with independent observers labeling the health ministry, found under Hamas control, as a key source.
The International Association of Genocide Scholars, founded in 1994, also previously asserted that China’s treatment of the Uighurs and the crisis faced by the Rohingya in Myanmar meet the threshold for genocide. Further accusations come from prominent Israeli rights groups calling for accountability regarding the situation in Gaza. As the conflict continues, and with global attention further sharpening on the humanitarian implications, Israel’s actions are likely to remain under intense scrutiny from the international community.
